Shantha has identified vaccines as one of its major segments and is interested in developing vaccines against infectious diseases prevalent in this part of the world.

Shantha’s first success story has been the development of recombinant hepatitis B surface antigen vaccine which was the first Indian molecule produced using recombinant DNA technology. Subsequently, Shantha has launched the tetravalent (DPT-Hepatitis B) vaccine. All the individual antigen’s process development and preparation of combination formulation has been done at Shantha’s R&D Centre. Currently Shantha is working on the development of Pentavelant and MMR group of vaccines.

Besides the above, few other vaccine related projects are in R&D at various stages of development.

Shantha has already commercialized three Therapeutic Proteins (Interferon Alpha 2b, Streptokinase and Erythropoietin). Few other proteins are under development.

Shantha also has started its effort in the area of discovery research to identify novel targets to diagnose and treat cancer by collaborating with leading national and international laboratories. We are utilizing the expertise in the area of proteomics, structural biology and RNA interference to validate these targets.

Shantha with its subsidiary Shantha West Inc., at San Diego has taken development of novel fully human monoclonal antibodies using the body’s own defense system. Shantha has successfully developed four (RM1, RM2, RM3 and RM4) fully human monoclonal antibodies against Lung cancer, Melanoma, Pancreatic and Breast cancer. Shantha holds the patent for these antibodies. Preclinical studies have shown the enormous potential of these antibodies for the treatment of lung, melanoma, pancreatic and breast cancer. Shantha is planning a phase-I clinical trial in US with two of these antibodies (RM1 and RM2) in the beginning of 2006.